[eee-tee]

my 1 gig USb pen drive cant be formatted- I can start it, but an error message pops up at the end. It needs to be formatted to use it. Anything i can do?

[Couriant]

Do you have any other devices attached, like another USB flash drive or external CD/HDD drive

[JohnWill]

Start, Run, diskmgmt.msc

Right click on it and try formatting it there.

[Bob Cerelli]

"I can start it, but an error message pops up at the end. "

So once you start the format, what is the error message?

[eee-tee]

Hi, I do have other USB devices attached, but when I try using it on my laptop, which doesn't, the problem is the same.
When I attempt to format using My Computer> Format it starts but at the end says "Windows was unable to complete the format".
When i try the disk mgmt the same happens

[JohnWill]

The drive may have simply died.

[Couriant]

Originally Posted by JohnWill

The drive may have simply died.

either that or not initialized.

[JohnWill]

Originally Posted by Couriant

either that or not initialized.

Possibly, though usually that would be an error at the start of the format, not the end. Can't hurt to try.

[JohnWill]

Originally Posted by eee-tee

Hi, I do have other USB devices attached, but when I try using it on my laptop, which doesn't, the problem is the same.
When I attempt to format using My Computer> Format it starts but at the end says "Windows was unable to complete the format".
When i try the disk mgmt the same happens

In disk Management, try right clicking on the left hand panel next to the drive and see if the Initialize option is available. If so, try that before you do the format.

[Couriant]

Originally Posted by JohnWill

Possibly, though usually that would be an error at the start of the format, not the end. Can't hurt to try.

hmmm... correct, that you are. I couldn't think of anything else that is associated with formatting